Out of the Ordinary

Chapter 26

You saw it, didn't you? Please, please call me back. x

It was the last of four texts I'd received in the past six hours, each with a consecutively rising sense of panic. I hadn't answered back yet. Hadn't answered any of the calls either. Hadn't even listened to the voicemails he left. I locked my phone once more. I had other things to worry about, and I kind of liked the idea of making him sweat for the time being.

"You ready?"

I looked over at Will sitting in the driver's seat, and unbuckled my seatbelt. "Let's just do this."

We got out of the car in Brooklyn, and strode down the block side by side, both of us quiet as we walked towards Mark's apartment.

We agreed we would take it easy on him.

We agreed we wouldn't make him answer anything he didn't want to.

We agreed we would assure him that we were here for him, that we always would be.

I wasn't nervous, really. If anything I was distracted, thoughts of Harry and those pictures filling my mind. Images of that girl — that model — with her long blonde hair, and long, muscular legs, taking up too much space, rendering me unable to see or think much further past it.

But Mark needed us now. And as much as my own problems seemed too big to ignore, I knew I had to put them on the back burner.

The sound of the buzzer brought me out of my own head, grounded me back to that stoop in Williamsburg, and Will met my eye as we waited for a response.

But we got nothing.

Will buzzed again.

Still nothing.

Will pressed the button and didn't let go, and I was sure that the buzzing down here was a lot less obnoxious than the buzzing up in Mark's apartment, which was hard to beat.

"M'God, WHAT?!" Mark sounded pissed, and like he just woke up.

"Let us in, you shit-head," said Will.

There was a pause. "Who is this?"

Will sighed. "Your siblings, Will and Madelyn Freeman. Remember us?"

He must've taken his finger off of the button, but it was like I could hear him sigh anyway as the buzzer sounded again after a pause, this time to allow us to enter the building.

Resigned now, we made our way up the stairs, neither of us speaking, ready to get this over with, and the four flights of stairs, a short hallway, and a few quick knocks were all that stood in our way. But neither of us could've expected what we found when our brother opened the door.

My hand flew to my nose. "Holy shit. What is that smell?"

We all simply stared at one another for a moment, before Will pushed past Mark, and only then did I notice that he had what looked like vomit on his shirt.

"Jesus..." Will said. He was standing next to a puddle of vomit amidst the scattered clothes, empty takeout cartons, and bottles tossed carelessly around the studio apartment, his hand clamped over his mouth and nose. Then, wide eyes on Mark, he took his hand away. "Did you sleep on the floor last night?"

Mark shifted his weight, his arms crossed over his chest, eyes defensive as he glared at Will. "What the hell are you guys doing here?"

Will stepped over the vomit (which had to have been there at least all day because the entire apartment reeked of it) and inspected the little kitchen space. The sink was spilling over with dirty dishes, empty pizza boxes were stacked up beside it, and it looked like some kind of orange drink had spilled down the side of the fridge, and Mark just hadn't bothered to wipe it up.